How to Enforce Court Orders in Florida

Florida Attorneys for Contempt & Enforcement

Often, the final judgement does not mean the end of legal action for many of our clients. As stressful as it may be, sharing parental responsibilities creates continual issues. This can be especially tedious when dealing with an uncooperative ex-spouse or legal parent. When the noncompliance of time-sharing, child support and alimony payments becomes an issue, The Virga Law Firm will fight for what the court has entitled you to.

Florida statute enables the court to provide certain remedies depending on the specific circumstances of your case. Among these are: criminal contempt, civil contempt, and civil judgments. Let our skilled court order enforcement lawyers in Florida determine your best path forward.

Even if changing circumstances have made abiding by court orders difficult, we can defend you from harmful contempt actions against you. There is a difference between willful disobedience of a court order and the simple inability to comply. Our staff will thoroughly investigate the specifics of your case to present an accurate reflection of your current situation.

Alimony, Child Support and Time-Sharing Enforcement

Florida courts may take steps to encourage compliance from an uncooperative party. Failure to pay alimony, child support or denying a parent court ordered time-sharing might carry severe consequences. Courts consider the matter an indirect civil contempt issue.

Civil contempt aims to coerce future compliance rather than enforce criminal penalty. Indirect means the contempt occurs outside of the courtroom. The filing party must show that the offending party willfully disregarded the court’s order. If the court determines the failure to comply was willful, Florida courts may take several different measures to compel compliance. Among these are: incarceration, the payment of opposing counsel's fees, compensatory fines, and the compensation of lost parental time.

Don’t let a hostile ex-spouse or opposing party violate your legal rights. Our team of Florida lawyers utilizes extensive experience and a meticulous approach to determine your most effective course of action. Let our family law attorneys handle your alimony, child support and time-sharing enforcement needs. We will ensure your interests are properly defended.

Defending Against Contempt Claims

Unfortunately, life’s ever-changing circumstances can sometimes prevent you from fulfilling your court ordered responsibilities. If this happens, you can find yourself subject to a contempt claim against you. It’s important to understand the specifics of civil contempt so as to defend against unwarranted action.

Under Florida statute, contempt occurs only when a party willfully disregards a judge’s orders. Sometimes the failure to comply falls outside the constructs of a willful action. For example, if you suffered a loss of employment that impacts your financial ability to comply, that is not contempt. Our team of contempt attorneys in Florida will help you accurately portray your current circumstances to the court. We can help defend your interests against damaging contempt litigation.

After skillful representation of your situation, we will seek a modification to the previous order to take into account the change in your financial circumstances. No court wishes to burden a party beyond their ability to pay. Let us assemble the necessary facts needed to aggressively display your position. In cases of custody, child support, and alimony related contempt, The Virga Law Firm is here to defend your legal interests. Our trial-tested attorneys are experienced in both defending against inapplicable contempt claims and pursuing willful violators.